The 2026 to 2032 Nigeria framework also aims to connect 58 million more people to broadband and mobilise $4.1bn in private capital
The World Bank has unveiled a new Nigeria partnership framework targeting electricity access for 32 million Nigerians and broadband connectivity for an additional 58 million people between 2026 and 2032, as the institution shifts towards larger, private-sector-led interventions designed to strengthen jobs, productivity and economic resilience.
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Acting World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Taimur Samad, presented the new framework on Wednesday in Lagos during the Industrialisation and Competitiveness Forum organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group.
The World Bank Nigeria power plan forms part of a broader Country Partnership Framework, CPF, that seeks to create more and better private-sector jobs while improving competitiveness, expanding human capital and mobilising private investment for infrastructure and agribusiness.
The framework also targets 9.5 million farmers for support aimed at improving agricultural production, value addition and market access.
Alongside those interventions, the World Bank Group plans to mobilise $4.1 billion in private capital for infrastructure and agribusiness during the six-year period.
The institution said its new approach would concentrate resources on fewer areas where interventions could produce large-scale and measurable results.
At the heart of the strategy is an increased emphasis on private-sector-led growth, with support expected to cover distributed renewable energy, broadband infrastructure, finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and sustainable agricultural value chains.
The framework sets a target of increasing Nigeria’s non-oil revenue-to-GDP ratio by 30 per cent, enabling $6 billion in private capital and adding 250,000 SMEs to the number using financial services.
Energy access is one of the most prominent components.
The World Bank has earmarked a $750 million programme, alongside a $200 million International Finance Corporation facility, for distributed renewable energy aimed at expanding electricity access.
The digital economy is another major pillar, with a $500 million programme planned for resilient digital infrastructure.
The scale of the broadband target reflects the World Bank’s broader focus on digital transformation as an engine for productivity, business development and employment.
Agriculture is also expected to receive substantial attention. A $500 million pipeline programme for sustainable agricultural value chains forms part of the framework, with the wider objective of helping 9.5 million farmers improve production, value addition and market linkages.
The human capital targets are similarly ambitious.
The framework aims to reach 40 million beneficiaries through quality health, nutrition and population services, while 19.4 million students are expected to benefit from improved education.
It also targets an eight-percentage-point reduction in the proportion of children under five suffering from stunting.
Social protection and climate resilience feature prominently, with the World Bank targeting 41 million additional beneficiaries of social safety-net programmes and 11.7 million people with enhanced resilience to climate risks.
The institution said its work would continue to cover climate adaptation, gender considerations and communities affected by conflict.
The new framework builds on a substantial existing World Bank presence in Nigeria.
According to the presentation, the previous Country Partnership Framework delivered more than $12 billion in support for national programmes, with considerable emphasis on state-level implementation and results-based financing.
The World Bank currently has an active $15.9 billion portfolio covering 30 projects in Nigeria. About two-thirds of the portfolio is implemented through national programmes at state level, while half uses results-based financing.
The institution has also increased its average loan size, from $415 million in 2021 to $580 million in 2025, while reducing the number of active projects from 36 to 30.
That shift suggests an effort to move away from a larger number of smaller interventions towards programmes capable of producing broader and more measurable economic outcomes.
The new framework will also bring the World Bank, IFC and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency into closer collaboration, with annual business planning intended to give the institutions greater flexibility in responding to emerging needs.
For Nigeria, the strategy arrives as policymakers continue to confront persistent challenges around electricity supply, digital access, agricultural productivity, job creation and the ability of small businesses to obtain affordable finance.
The World Bank’s approach places private investment at the centre of its response, while retaining significant support for public services and social protection.
The institution’s targets are ambitious, particularly the planned connection of 32 million people to electricity and 58 million additional broadband users.
Achieving them will depend not only on financing, but also on effective implementation, regulatory stability, infrastructure delivery and stronger participation from Nigeria’s private sector and state governments.
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If successfully delivered, the framework could provide a transformative boost to electricity access, digital connectivity, agriculture and employment while helping Nigeria attract more private capital into areas critical to long-term economic growth.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
